Bryan DeArdo#4 of 87 NFL pundits · Sep 26, 2026
They pick the Bengals to beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh in a low-scoring, defensive game, arguing Pittsburgh's struggling offense can't break through against Cincinnati's strong defense.
Published in writing · CBS SportsRead the original
What Bryan DeArdo said
While those things could happen, I'm taking the Bengals in a close, defensive game.
- Where it was published
- CBS Sports
- The piece
- Bengals vs. Steelers: Will Aaron Rodgers find the end zone again against a surging Cincinnati defense?
- The original
- Read the original
- Read it wrong?
- Tell us and we will look
- SaidSep 26
- PlayedSep 27
- GradedSep 28
How the call scored
a naive guessbetter than naiveworse than naiveOne checkable claim, graded on its own against what actually happened.
The call scored 50 out of 100, against 94 for a naive guess at the same calls.
The call is scored 0 to 100 against what happened, on its own, by the published methodology. The naive guess is what knowing nothing would have scored on the same call; the gap, weighted by how hard the call was, is the skill.
Game calls show that game’s closing betting line under their grade: a dated fact from nflverse, for context and never part of a grade. MissedTakes takes no bets and earns nothing from any sportsbook.
Score PredictionsCincinnati Bengals
Cincinnati Bengals 20 — Steelers 17
What happenedSteelers 30–27called Bengals by 3 · lost by 350Close · naive 93.9750this call−93.97a naive guess=−43.97worse than naive×1.89difficulty=−83.11skillClosing line (Sep 27): Bengals by 3.5, total 42.5 · this 20–17 calls a closer game (Bengals by 3) and fewer points (37).
Think this is wrong?How this was scored
- score:
- 27-30
- skill:
- −83.11
- they picked:
- CIN
- season:
- 2026
- accuracy:
- 50
- baseline:
- 93.97
- difficulty:
- 1.89
- weeks in the season:
- 18
- actual margin:
- 3
- weeks left when called:
- 16
- naive home margin:
- 0.47
- predicted margin:
- 3
The game in this take
every pundit’s pick on eachWho this take is about
Others on the same people
Derek Brown · Game Outcome Picks · Cincinnati Bengals · Hit 100
Brown picked the Bengals to beat the Falcons in Madrid, the Packers to win outright in New England and the Bills to beat the Vikings on Monday night. They were bullish on Jonah Coleman's rest-of-season value, expected Jonathan Taylor to play for the Colts, floated a Breece Hall trade, and did not expect DJ Reed to play in Week 9.Eric Mangini · Game Outcome Picks · Cincinnati Bengals · Hit 100
Mangini picked New England to beat Green Bay by more than a field goal, flagged Tampa Bay as their upset alert over Chicago, expects Kansas City to handle the Jets, took Buffalo over Minnesota, backed Cincinnati over Atlanta in Madrid, and updated their Super Bowl to Rams–Bengals.Rich Eisen · Game Outcome Picks · Cincinnati Bengals · Hit 100
Previewing the Bengals-Falcons game in Madrid, Eisen expects Cincinnati to fall behind by two scores before Joe Burrow brings them back to win.Connor Rogers · Game Outcome Picks · Cincinnati Bengals · Hit 100
Rogers picked straight-up winners in every Week 9 game, agreeing with Simms on all of them, and gave a 24-20 Bills score over the Vikings on Monday night.Chris Simms · Score Predictions · Cincinnati Bengals · Close 64
Simms gave a predicted final score for every Week 9 game, picking the Bengals, Chiefs, Broncos, Lions, Giants, Rams, Cowboys, Saints, 49ers, Patriots, Seahawks, Texans, Bears and Bills, and also said they wouldn't be shocked to see Jacksonville reach the AFC Championship Game.
More score predictions
The same kind of call, about other players and teams.
Jordan Dajani · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 95
Dajani picks the Commanders to edge the Giants 21-20 on Thursday and the Chiefs to beat the Falcons 26-20 in Week 10.Tyler Sullivan · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 100
Sullivan takes the Commanders 24-21 over the Giants on Thursday night and calls for a Steelers upset of the Bengals, 27-24, in Week 10.Pete Prisco · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Miss 36
Prisco picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 23-14 on Thursday night and the Lions to beat the Patriots 30-24 in Munich.John Breech · Score Predictions · Washington Commanders · Hit 90
Breech picks the Commanders to upset the Giants on Thursday night, 24-17, and takes the Texans to beat the Browns 24-16 in Week 10 behind a pass rush that should batter Deshaun Watson.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders 20-14 on Thursday night and takes the Packers over the Vikings 17-14 in a low-scoring Week 10 game.Jared Dubin · Score Predictions · New York Giants · Close 43
Dubin picks the Giants to beat the Commanders at home on Thursday night, projecting a 20-14 final score.